Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama called on
Congress to give him authority to streamline the executive
branch and make it easier for businesses to tap government
resources by consolidating six agencies dealing with trade and
commerce.

The reorganization would affect the Office of the U.S.
Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas
Private Investment Corporation, the Trade and Development Agency
and the Small Business Administration. Obama said today that in
the short term, he would elevate the SBA administrator to
Cabinet-level status.

“We live in a 21st-century economy, but we’ve still got a
government organized for the 20th century,” Obama said in
remarks at the White House. “With this authority, we could help
businesses grow, save businesses time and save taxpayer
dollars.”

The election-year proposal was released as the Republicans
seeking to challenge him in November are promising to shrink the
size of government and cut spending.

Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Republican leader Mitch
McConnell of Kentucky, said Obama’s proposal will get “careful
review” once the White House provides further details.

“Americans want a government that’s simpler, streamlined
and secure,” Stewart said. “So after presiding over one of the
largest expansions of government in history, and a year after
raising the issue in his last State of the Union, it’s
interesting to see the president finally acknowledge that
Washington is out of control.”

Up-or-Down Vote

Obama asked lawmakers to restore power last held by
President Ronald Reagan to reorganize agencies. Under the
authority being sought by Obama, Congress would then be able to
give an up-or-down vote on the plan in 90 days.

The president first raised the plan in last year’s State of
the Union Address, saying: “We can’t win the future with a
government of the past.” He then directed his administration to
develop a plan to reshape the government, including possibly
folding the U.S. Trade Representative’s office into the Commerce
Department, abolishing some agencies and reducing the workforce.

Jeffrey Zients, the deputy budget director and a former
chairman of the Corporate Executive Board Co., an information
service for company directors, led the review, which was
completed in mid-June. Now, as it prepares for this year’s State
of the Union address on Jan. 24, the administration wants to
wrap up the proposals made a year ago.

Executive Action

“The president, like any chief executive, needs the
ability to streamline and modernize operations and save money
and improve service,” Zients said in a briefing before the
president spoke.

Obama has set a goal to double U.S. exports from $1.57
trillion in 2009 to $3.14 trillion a year by the end of 2014,
and getting there requires consolidating the U.S. export
bureaucracy.

The effort could lead to the loss of 1,000 to 2,000 jobs,
which would be achieved through attrition, Zients said. The goal
is to save $3 billion over 10 years.